EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF POLYMETHYLMACRYLATE (PMMA) COATED WITH THIN FILMS OF Al2O3 GROWN BY PLASMA-ACTIVATED WATER-ENHANCED ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION FOR DENTAL APPLICATION

• Grant number: 22/00266-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: August 04, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Yumi Koga Ito
• Grantee: Lady Daiane Pereira Leite
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/05856-7 - Use of low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma in dentistry: from laboratory bench to clinics, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/05822-3 - Cytotoxicity Assessment of Polymethylmethacrylate Coated with Al2O3 Films Grown by Thermal Atomic Layer Deposition Enhanced with a Novel Energetic Co-Reactant called Plasma-Activated Water., BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) acrylic resins are the main material used in the manufacture of dental prostheses. However, this material has some limitations, mainly in relation to microbial adhesion that culminates in the formation of microbial biofilm, which can lead to infections such as denture stomatitis. Thus, biomaterials with antimicrobial properties become highly desirable in the control of these pathologies. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been shown to be a promising technology to deposit thin films in several applications, including the dental field. In this sense, this project aims to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of PMMA coated with an ultrathin layer of alumina (Al2O3) grown by the ALD technique, enhanced with plasma activated water (PAW). Therefore, the specific objectives will be: a) To study the kinetics and formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in PAW, as well as their influence on the growth of ALD Al2O3 films on PMMA substrates through the study ALD quality signature; b) Investigate the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the PMMA/ALD Al2O3 interface; c) Evaluate the formation of mono and multispecies biofilms on naked PMMA and PMMA/ALD Al2O3 with variation in the thickness of the ALD Al2O3 films; d) in vitro and in vivo biological characterization and; e) To evaluate the effect of Al2O3 ALD films on the occurrence of experimentally induced candidiasis in a murine model. The data obtained will be statistically analyzed with a significance level of 5%.